Spokane, Washington could be next to join a list of cities that have decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms.
A new initiative would end the local enforcement of laws in the city against the possession of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic drug that is commonly found in “magic mushrooms.” The initiative would also ban officials from using city funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of those laws. If the initiative receives enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, city voters could have the opportunity to vote on the proposal by the November election.
“This is mostly about safety, and this is acknowledging certain legal substances that are accessible—like alcohol, for one—are far more dangerous,” said Mason Lord of Decriminalize Spokane. He added he opposes “the criminalization of a substance that has so much research showing that it’s so much safer than legal substance adults (can access).”
If passed, the initiative would not legalize the possession of psilocybin mushrooms, but just make enforcing the possession laws the lowest priority for law enforcement. The initiative also includes stipulations that prohibit the display or use of psychedelics in public places. A section of the initiative points to scientific research that has been done on the potential therapeutic benefits of mushrooms.
“Psilocybin can alleviate end-of-life anxiety for hospice and terminal cancer patients, can reduce prison recidivism, and can effectively treat depression, cluster headaches, addiction and trauma,” the initiative says.Spokane aims to be the next city to join the movement to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms since Denver became the first to do so in 2019. Six other cities—Oakland, Santa Cruz, Ann Arbor, Washington, D.C., Somerville and Cambridge—have decriminalized possession of mushrooms since Denver. California legislators recently introduced a bill that would decriminalize psychedelics statewide.
